Wear and Tear
by Kamden
Summary: As Shino resides in the Konoha Hospital for attempted suicide, Sakura delves into Shino's past to find the reason behind his misery, along with the conspiracy of the ninja clans of Konoha. Pairings: Shino? and some onesided ShinoSaku
1. From the Beginning

This fanfiction is dedicated in loving memory of my grandmother, who was a great writer and storyteller. She passed away on July 31, 2006.

Chapter One: From the Beginning

Healing charka pulsed throughout his body as Aburame Shino slowly regained conscience. His eyes fluttered open, and it took a moment for his vision to focus. The pressure on his chest disappeared as the medic nin finished her work. Shino sat up, and he realized that he was no longer in his home. He was in a brightly lit hospital, and he was seated in the hospital bed. He frantically turned to the medic nin beside him, hoping for some answers. Her nosed was buried in her paperwork and reports, but Shino still recognized her, thanks to the pink locks. Haruno Sakura, a kunoichi from the same graduating class as him, finally looked up from the files in her hands, with one corner of her mouth curling upwards.

"I'm going to refresh your memory, Shino," Sakura said, gingerly placing the files on the bedside table. "Apparently, you had taken about twenty too many Advil pills, and your father, who found you just in time, knocked you out, to prevent you from doing further harm to yourself. Luckily for you," Shino winced at Sakura's choice of words, "he brought you here in time as well. If he didn't, you would be dead."

Sakura witnessed a slight change in Shino's expression and demeanor. It was always difficult to read the stoic ninja's emotions, but this time, it was as if he was subtly expressing disappointment. Sakura's smile was replaced by a solemn expression. She scooted her stool closer to Shino's bed. She gently placed her hand on his broad shoulder, and Shino finally met her gaze.

"Believe me when I say this, but you don't want to be dead." A kind smile brightened up Sakura's features. "I want to help you get better." Shino abruptly jerked away, looking as appalled as an Aburame was allowed to be.

"Why?" Shino asked curtly. It was such a simple statement, yet Sakura was so taken aback by it. _Shouldn't he be grateful that someone cares? Someone wants to help him? Does he need to question it?_ As Inner Sakura continued to rant about the blasphemy of it all, Outer Sakura remained calm and analyzed his response. She remembered that she barely knew Shino, rarely spoke to him, and even _avoided_ him when they were young. Feelings of guilt flooded her mind, as she recalled her immaturity and vanity as a young girl.

The guilt was definitely one of her reasons to help Shino, but it wasn't the only one. Uzumaki Naruto, Sakura's teammate and best friend, has influenced and changed almost everyone he has met, most notably Sabaku no Gaara and Hyuuga Neji. Heck, Naruto even changed Sakura, helping her get past her vanity and prejudice. Sakura revered Naruto for this trait, and she made it her lifetime goal to do the same (along with becoming the greatest medic nin).

Her third reason involves her other teammate (more accurately, _former_ teammate), Uchiha Sasuke. Sasuke had some demons of his own, but memories of him and how she failed to stop him from making grave mistakes continues to haunt her to this day. Her remorse has also motivated her not to fail, not with Shino, not with anybody ever again. Plus, Shino was such a mystery, and she was dying to learn about him.

Sakura snapped out of her state of reverie, and she realized that Shino was still expecting an answer. She sighed softly; she felt that her reasons were a little too personal to share. Sakura straightened up in her seat, with a gentle smile on her face.

"Why do I want to help you? Let's just say that I am trying to right some wrongs," explained Sakura, with a coy smile. Shino's brows furrowed at her cryptic response, but he said nothing to retort. With a swift motion, Sakura had uncapped her pen, and she repositioned her notepad.

"I won't be able to do anything unless you tell me what's going on. Who knows, maybe you'll feel better after getting a load off your chest, if you know what I mean." An awkward silence followed, both ninja never losing eye contact. A minute passed, and a frustrated Sakura averted her gaze.

"I wasn't always this way," Shino finally spoke, almost to himself. The medic nin slowly elevated her gaze, tightening her grip on her pen. Shino sighed as he continued.

"My father told me that I was always laughing and smiling as a toddler. My mother loved it, but my father said that it was bad."

"Why was that bad?" Sakura questioned.

"According to the paradigm of a ninja, we are not to show emotion. The Aburame clan is known for taking it a step further: eradicating all signs of emotion. My father told me that I need to stop wearing my emotions on my sleeves, so to speak. 'Emotions would waste your talent,' he always told me."

"He told you _that_ when you were a toddler? That's a little harsh," commented Sakura as she wrote diligently in her notepad with pursed lips. However, Shino shook his head in rebuttal.

"No, it was necessary. My father told me that I was gifted with the talent and ability to surpass the first Aburame. That's why I was named after him."

"So, because you are defending him, you think he was a good father," rationalized Sakura, folding her arms. Shino shifted uncomfortably in his seat, and Sakura smirked knowingly. She knew something was off.

"Well, my father cared for my safety and well being, yes. But other than our training sessions together, I rarely saw him. He was constantly away on missions," explained Shino.

"You were around your mother a lot, then. What is she like?" inquired the medic nin. Shino slowly averted his gaze, now focusing on his knees. Sakura instantly became concerned.

"Are you okay? Is she nice, or-"

"Was," interrupted Shino.

"Was?"

"My mother died when I was five. More accurately, she was killed." Sakura's eyes widened with shock, and her mouth hung agape.

"Killed? What happened?" she asked. Shino remained silent for a long time, but Sakura waited patiently

"Whenever my father was completing a mission, my mother and other caretakers would keep an eye on me. However, they had another job: to protect me from assassins." Sakura's jaw dropped the moment he finished speaking.

"But you were so young!" exclaimed Sakura loudly, with Inner Sakura ranting about baby-killing ninjas.

"That's the point," said Shino, shaking his head, "I was the heir to a clan, and a young ninja genius, so it was ideal for the enemies of the Aburame to kill me while I was still a small child. The attacks slowed down after I graduated from the Academy."

"So, your mother died protecting you."

"Not just her. A couple of my caretakers were killed when I was young too. My mother died right before my eyes," Shino swallowed hard, "and then that assassin almost killed me. My mother had called for ANBU back up at the beginning of the attack, and they had arrived barely in time. Well, if they came a little earlier, they could've saved my mother."

Sakura gently placed her hand on Shino's shoulder, as her heart filled with sympathy. Her green eyes were welling up with tears, but she did her best to hold them back. She wanted to give him words of sympathy and comfort, or at least tell him that she felt sorry for what happened, but the words escaped her. The pair remained in silence, until Sakura finally found her voice.

"That's enough for today."


	2. Prodigy

Chapter Two: Prodigy

Shino turned his attention to the soft knocking on the hospital room door. His kikai informed him that Haran Sakura was at the door. Shino averted his gaze, and said nothing to Sakura's insistent knocking.

"Hello?" Sakura asked through the door. "May I come in the room? Are you decent?" Shino sighed, knowing that he had to let her in. Shino slowly slid out of his hospital bed, gingerly placing his feet on the stone cold tile. The Aburame remained silent as he made his way to the door. With a swift motion, Shino opened the door. He was expecting the pink-haired kunoichi to be grateful, but she looked alarmed instead.

"Oh, Shino, you didn't have to open the door for me! All you had to do was say that I could enter. You're supposed to be lying down!" Sakura ranted, ushering him back to the hospital bed promptly. "You're still recovering!" _I feel fine_, Shino retorted silently. After assisting Shino, Sakura seated herself in the same stool as the day before. She whipped out her trusty notepad.

"So," she chirped happily, "shall we begin?" Shino sat there in astonishment at her abrupt change in mood. _Is she. . . bipolar?_ Of course, not many knew of Sakura's alter ego.

"How are you feeling this morning?" Sakura asked to no avail. Shino was not responding. _Gah! I have to deal with the cold shoulder again?! Shannero!_ The vexed Inner Sakura screamed, while the outer Sakura merely thinned her lips.

"Shino, I told you yesterday that I need your help in this. I'm a concerned medic nin, not a miracle-working magician." Shino met Sakura's gaze, but he said not a word. The pair stared at each other intensely, the tension mounting higher than Hokage Mountain.

"Why won't you talk to me today? We were doing so well yesterday-"

"That's why," Shino interrupted.

"Huh?"

"I said too much yesterday," explicated Shino, "I even discussed secret matters of the Aburame clan. I feel as if I am betraying my clan." Shino turned away from the pink-haired kunoichi. "In retrospect, I still don't understand why I revealed so much."

"You did it because you want to get better. You know that you have to help me to help yourself. Besides," Sakura leaned closer to the bug nin, cutely holding her right hand to the side of her mouth, as if she was telling him a secret, "I'm not gonna tell anybody. Not even Hokage-sama!"

It was excruciatingly difficult to tell whether Sakura had convinced Shino or not. His unfathomable expression showed no signs of change. Sakura decided not to press further for the moment, and she began flipping through the notes from their previous session. Time seemed to stand still through the prolonged silence.

"What did you want to know?" said Shino, after what felt like eternity. Sakura smiled warmly at her stoic patient, as she diligently turned the pages of her notebook to a fresh page. Shino folded his arms, already regretting his decision.

"From yesterday's notes, I saw that you trained with your dad. These sessions were on top of Kurenai's training, right?" asked Sakura.

"Well, yes and no," Shino stated simply. Sakura gave him a quizzical look.

"What do you mean by that?" she questioned, as Inner Sakura screeched about ambiguity.

"My father began training me well before I entered the Academy."

"Before?"

"Yes," Shino said, "I was learning the basic ninja skills from my father and other mentors when I was three. A year later, he was training me in the Aburame combat style."

"Wow," gasped an astonished Sakura, "that's quite an early start! Did your father ever tell you why?"

"He didn't have to explain; I heard it from the Aburame clan meetings," explained Shino.

"But, how old were you when you first attended these meetings? I thought that these clan meetings only allowed the chuunin and jounin of the clan." Sakura paused for a moment. "I probably sound quite ignorant, because I do not belong to a ninja clan," the kunoichi added sheepishly, her cheeks getting rosier by the minute. The Aburame heir shook his head in response.

"Not at all, and you're right. However, I had started attending meetings when I was eight. My father made an exception for me. The clan considered me as their weapon."

"Weapon? What do you-"

"I will not divulge further on the topic," Shino stated abruptly, realizing that he had let something slip. Wincing at his sudden "outburst" (at least, according to Shino's normal behavior), Sakura instantly dropped her pen.

"I apologize for that. I had panicked," Shino explained solemnly.

"Don't worry about it," said Sakura, waving her hand in front of her face. She picked up her pen. "Please continue."

"As I said before, I cannot tell you about the meetings. However, I do remember seeing my parents argue over them a lot."

"They fought?"

"Yes. My mother hated how I was treated like an object, and she wanted me to grow up considerably normal. On the other hand, my father argued that I was the leader the clan needed, and my talent would be wasted if I didn't start training as soon as possible. They fought about a plethora of other topics as well."

"Not a happy marriage, huh?" commented Sakura as she continued writing her notes.

"Of course it wasn't happy; their marriage was arranged," the Aburame returned.

"Is that a typical clan custom for the clan leaders?" inquired Sakura. Shino nodded his head slowly.

"My marriage was already arranged."

"What?!" Sakura suddenly exclaimed, "Already? When?"

"The date has not been set yet," Shino answered, "but I'm sure it will be in a few years."

"What is your fiancée like?" asked the curious kunoichi. Shino remained silent for a moment. It seemed as if Shino was searching for the right words. Sakura repeated the question, hoping to prod the answer out of him.

"I don't like talking about her," responded Shino. "I will tell you one thing: she is an. . . interesting person."


	3. Hidden Nature

A/N: Just so you guys know, I have already finished the story completely (so you won't have to worry about me abandoning it without finishing it). There will be ten chapters.

Chapter Three: Hidden Nature

The hospital food tasted abysmal, Sakura had decided. In fact, it was something she assessed years ago. Never once had that bland food impressed her. But there was one thing that she disliked even more, and that was working extra hours at the Konoha Hospital. Sakura would much rather spend such time training, improving her medical ninjutsu, going on a date, or sleeping.

This time was different, however. Shino's story had her hooked, and during her lunch break, she couldn't get the stoic ninja out of her mind. It was as if she was reading a suspenseful thriller; she absolutely needed to read the next chapter immediately. And so, Sakura made an unprecedented decision to take an extra shift after her lunch break (though she will never change her opinion about the food).

She, of course, knew that she shouldn't run in the hallways, but she still hurried along. She zipped past the other medic nin, her grip tight on her notepad. Sakura skidded to a halt outside of the correct room. Raising a lithe fist, she hastily knocked on the door.

"Shino, may I come in?" asked Sakura.

"Okay." Shino's response was followed by sounds of moving bed springs and rustling bed sheets. Alarmed once more, Sakura swung the door open.

"SHANNERO! I TOLD YOU NOT TO GET OUT OF YOUR BED! BAKA!" screeched Sakura, her alter ego taking over. A slightly petrified Shino remained silent for a moment before responding.

"I was uncomfortable, so I shifted my position," Shino tentatively explained, hoping to avoid Sakura's wrath. Sakura then let out an apprehensive giggle, and she apologized repeatedly as she took a seat. She uneasily cleared her throat before speaking.

"Uh, anyway, I was rereading my notes during lunch, and I noticed how you mentioned that you were a clan genius. But, you didn't seem to stand out at all in the Academy. Maybe it was because I always focused on Sasuke, but you didn't participate in any class activity except for tests, and you never volunteered for anything as well. I remember that-"

"I wasn't supposed to do anything except pass," interrupted Shino. Sakura instantly ended her ramblings, her attention drawn to the stoic ninja. "On my first day at the Ninja Academy, my father gave me three orders: reveal little about myself or my clan, bring little attention to myself, and to use no clan techniques. He wanted me to seem as average as possible."

"Is this a clan tradition?"

"No. They were orders given only to me."

"I still don't understand, why did-"

"That day, my father also explained to me some of the Aburame traditions," interrupted Shino, changing the subject. Sakura pursed her lips; it was quite obvious that Shino was hiding something. However, she decided not to press it further as Shino continued, "we condition ourselves to effectively disguise our emotions. We aren't cold and heartless; we just have to act that way. We wear our high-collared coats to further hide our emotions."

"And the sunglasses too, right?" Sakura added, gesturing to his opaque shades with her pen.

"Actually," Shino contradicted, "it's something different. The Aburame believe that the eyes are the windows into one's soul, and they show one's true character. So, we conceal our eyes."

"Aw, darn!" joked Sakura, feigning disappointment. "No bug eyes? No bloodline? No empty eye sockets?" In response, Shino gave her a genial smile.

"Those are just rumors."

"That's the first time I've seen you smile," said Sakura, returning the smile. "Now, tell me: what do _your_ eyes look like?"

"I just told you why I can't describe them. It would reveal my true character." _Darn it_, said Inner Sakura, gritting her teeth, _I thought that I could get away with it_. Sakura, however, laughed it off.

"If you can read one's eyes that easily, what do mine say?" requested the pink-haired ninja coyly. Shino leaned in closer, to get a better look at Sakura's emerald eyes. He scrutinized her eyes for some time, and Sakura couldn't help but blush at their close quarters. His long finger suddenly pointed at her left eye.

"The arch of your eye indicates that you are intelligent, sharp, and critical. The green of your eyes shows that you are detail-oriented. There is little warmth in your eyes, indicating past pain and heartbreak. However, you try to hide it with optimism, so that others don't know about such pain. You are possibly regretful of your past."

Sakura sat in her stool, bewildered and flushed. She remained silent as she stared into his sunglasses, praying that he would remove them. She had never wanted to see his eyes so badly. She suddenly snapped out of her state of reverie, and she cleared her throat.

"Well, we got off topic, didn't we? What were we discussing last?"

"Your eyes," Shino stated plainly.

"Uh, before that."

"Before that, it was clan tradition and the Academy," Shino responded, after pondering for a moment. The pinkette snapped her fingers in realization.

"You're right. So, Shino, what did you think of the Ninja Academy?" asked Sakura, as she shook her head several times, trying to relieve the lightheadedness resulting from the previous. . . discussion.

"I hated it."

"Why? Was it too easy and boring?"

"Not that; I trained plenty after school to make up for that. It was the students."

"The students?" inquired Sakura, even though she had a feeling she knew what he was talking about. Her stomach cringed and churned from guilt.

"Yes. Some students knew about my clan, and they ostracized me, with the others following suit. They also didn't like my impassive behavior, saying I didn't talk because I was stupid, or because I was arrogant. Even Kiba was hesitant to be my friend when we were teammates. I became hurt, lonely, and angry," said Shino. Sakura began shaking, ready to cry, for she knew that she was one of those students.

"Shino, I'm so sorry! I was. . . I. . . well, I. . ." she stammered pathetically. The Aburame held up his right hand to halt her apology.

"It's alright, Sakura, we were children then. Children, by nature, are petty, vain, and ignorant," Shino reassured the medic nin. She shook her head in response.

"But that doesn't excuse anything! We made you feel terrible!" said Sakura.

"Well, it did. I even asked my dad about how to deal with my emotions, since he had probably experienced the same ordeal too."

"What did he say?"

"'Showing emotion is the same as showing weakness' was all he said"

"Well," huffed Sakura, "that's a little cold to tell a child!"

"True," Shino agreed, "but I still took those words to heart, and I searched for a method to suppress my emotions."

"Did you find anything?" asked Sakura, her eyes glued to the notes she was writing.

"Yes, I inflicted pain on myself to-"

"You did WHAT?!" The kunoichi tore her eyes off of her notepad, and she looked at Shino's face for the first time since her "eye examination."

"It was nothing serious," Shino stated calmly, unflappable as always. "I didn't want people to see me hurt myself, so I kept my hands in my pockets. No one knew that I was squeezing and pinching at the skin on my stomach." The pair stared hard at each other for a long time. Sakura's green eyes shifted to his abdomen.

"Let me see your stomach," she deadpanned quietly. Shino didn't budge.

"It was nothing serious," he reiterated stubbornly.

"Let me see your stomach," her voice was rising with volume, but Shino shook his head.

"It's not serious."

"Well, the fact that you're resisting _proves _that there is something to hide!" Sakura asserted, standing up suddenly. "If there truly was nothing to see, you would've shown me, and we'd be done with it."

"But there's-"

"Prove it." Under Sakura's cold stare, Shino knew he couldn't win. He slowly unbuttoned his shirt, revealing his toned chest. As Sakura moved in closer, she noticed that there were scars and bruises lining his lower abdomen.

"Shino!" Sakura gasped, "This _was_ serious! You weren't pinching; you were _clawing_ at your stomach! Why, it looks like you drew blood a couple times." She paused. "Wait, how did you draw blood through the jacket?"

"The pocket fabric was thin," responded Shino, averting his gaze from the medic nin. Shino had never felt so exposed before in his life. Sakura placed a gentle hand on Shino's bare shoulder, wearing a kind smile.

"It's okay, Shino. You need to find a different method. Take me for example." Sakura straightened up in her seat. "Okay, it's no secret that I'm a crier. For the past couple years, I had cried or screamed into a pillow or towel to relieve stress and frustration. Stress balls work wonders as well. But if you need to 'hurt' yourself, try twisting or pulling your thumb. Not too hard, though," warned Sakura, as she used her own thumb for demonstration. Shino slipped his shirt back on.

"Okay," he simply replied.

"Of course, it's okay for men to cry too," Sakura added. "It's healthy for you to cry. I mean, have you _ever_ cried?"

"Only twice."

"What?!" Sakura shouted, "Twice?! Wow, that was definitely two more times than I was expecting. When?"

"I cried when my mother died and my girlfriend died," Shino said solemnly, as he twisted his thumb like Sakura instructed. The kunoichi's jaw dropped.

"Girlfriend? Who-"

"Not now," interrupted Shino, released his thumb, "not today." Understanding that this was a touchy topic for the stoic shinobi, Sakura nodded in agreement. She straightened her notepad and gingerly headed for the door.

"Let's call is a day," she said, reaching for the door knob. Shino's voice halted her exit.

"Don't tell Kiba about what I said; I'll never hear the end of it."

Like a moth drawn to light, Sakura walked straight to her bathroom mirror the moment she returned home, all duties and chores forgotten. She began scrutinizing her eyes more closely than ever before in her life. She couldn't shake off what Shino said earlier, nor could she shake off the burning tightness in her chest. Shino's words had struck a chord indefinitely. He was right in everything he said. As she pulled at her tired eyelids, she wondered about how many other people could see into her core, her being, just by looking at her eyes.


	4. Visitors

A/N: Gah, I know that this chapter is short. The next one will be longer, though.

Chapter Four: Visitors

"There will be a change of pace today, Shino," Sakura informed her patient, as she entered the room. "You have a visitor-"

Two figures dashed into the room before Sakura could even finish her sentence. In the rush, one of the figures had knocked the pink haired nin aside, but she was on her guard, so she managed to keep her balance. _Hey!_ screeched Inner Sakura. _This is a hospital!_ However, her patient soon became her main concern, because the smaller figure grappled Shino into a death-grip hug.

"Shino! You're alive! You're okay! You're alive!" gushed Shino's best friend and teammate, Inuzuka Kiba. His gigantic dog Akamaru panted at his side.

"Kiba. . ." choked Shino, struggling to breathe. Suddenly aghast, Kiba released the Aburame heir.

"Wait a minute, it wasn't. . . something _I_ said, right?" Before Shino even had the chance to respond, Kiba panicked. "Shino! Whatever I said, I seriously did _not_ mean it! I take it back, I swear! You know me, Shino, I'm _always_ kidding around; so you need to never take me seriously ever again!"

"Kiba, it wasn't you."

"What?" Kiba began to feel relieved. "You didn't try to kill yourself because of me? So I didn't say something wrong?"

"No," answered Shino as he gently massaged his temples, "you are a mere annoyance in some occasions, and a good friend in general."

"Wow, Shino, do you mean it?" said Kiba, a wide grin stretched across his feral visage, "That was-"

"Don't hug him!" Sakura yelled, stepping between the two shinobi. Apparently, some of Inner Sakura's caustic personality had leaked to her outer ego.

"Well," Kiba said, backing away slowly, "you certainly are acting like a bitch protecting her young pup." Kiba faltered under Sakura's icy glare, and he hastily added, "By bitch, I mean female dog!"

For the next hour, the two teammates caught up with each other, and reminisced about the "good times." Of course, Kiba tried pestering Shino into telling him about his "problems," but Sakura would have none of it. Nevertheless, Kiba was happy to see that Shino was smiling more often (three times versus none) and participating more in conversations.

"I don't know what you did to him," commented Kiba, leaning his chair back on two legs, "but it's working, Sakura."

"How sweet of you, Kiba," Sakura responded cheerily, as she pushed Kiba's chair into its upright position.

"I think," said Shino quietly, "that it was the fact that people are showing concern for me." Smiling warmly, Sakura sat down in her wooden stool, and she scooted it closer to Shino. Suddenly, Akamaru appeared between the two ninja and placed a kiss on Shino's mouth. Sakura laughed heartily, and in response, Akamaru abandoned Shino to lick Sakura's face. The gigantic dog bounded upon the unsuspecting kunoichi, knocking her off the stool. Kiba let out bark-like laughter as Akamaru licked her cheeks.

"Ha ha, I _would_ call him off, but this is too much fun," chuckled Kiba, wiping away tears of mirth. Sakura heaved the humongous canine off of her lithe body and stood up.

"Well," sighed Sakura, as she straightened her clothes, "Shino has another visitor coming here in approximately fifteen minutes, but I didn't catch her name."

"Another visitor?" inquired Shino. "Is it-"

"Nope," Kiba interjected, "she's on a mission with her cousin."

"Then who. . ." Shino stopped in mid-sentence. Both men slowly turned their heads towards each other, their features ridden with fear (Kiba's to a greater degree, by far). Sakura furrowed her delicate brows. _Who are they thinking about?_ she wondered.

"Not her!" groaned Kiba, scowling. "Well, if it _is_ her, then I'm gonna leave!"

"Lucky," growled Shino, "you actually _have_ that option." In response, Kiba childishly stuck out his tongue. Sakura deftly grabbed Kiba's wrist to halt his exit.

"Hold on a moment!" ejaculated Sakura, "Who are you talking about? Is she really this bad?"

"Oh," Kiba snickered lightly, "we're referring to Shino's fiancée." The dog lover noted the Sakura's perpetual confused expression. "What? Didn't Shino mention his 'wonderful' fiancée?"

"He did," said Sakura, her voice still stained with confusion, "but all he said was that she was 'interesting.'" Kiba let out a harsh laugh.

"Oh yeah, she's _interesting_, all right. Of course, there are much better ways to describe her."

"Excuse me for being vague," sighed Shino with an exasperated shrug. Kiba headed for the door, signaling for his trusty companion Akamaru to follow. He gripped the handle of the door, but he turned back around to the others for his salutation.

"A better word for her is man-eater."


	5. An Irritation At Best

Chapter Five: An Irritation at Best

The door creaked open at the projected time, revealing a blond, voluptuous woman. Her bland brown eyes bore no warmth, and her rose red lips curled into a smile as she stepped into the room. She appeared to be about ten years older than Shino. Sakura recognized her as a chuunin she met a year ago, as she noted the forehead protector around her short neck. Moving swiftly, the woman made her way to her "adoring" fiancé and (to Shino's dismay) seated herself in poor Shino's lap.

"Dear Shino-kun!" she cooed, wrapping her slender, pale arms around his torso. "I was worried sick about you! Are you alright? Aw, I missed you so much." Without warning, she placed her rosy lips on Shino's pale cheek. Sakura was delighted to see Shino flinch at the touch of her lips, but she also felt an odd twinge of jealousy. She shook the strange feelings away as the visitor continued to speak.

"My, where are my manners? Hi, my name is Saseko Chiasa. I believe that you are Haruno Sakura, right?"

"Uh, yes," Sakura replied, bowing just barely low enough to achieve politeness. Chiasa graciously bowed her head, but made no motion to leave her comfortable "seat."

"Well, I hope that you two haven't been involved in any 'funny' business, if you know what I mean. It seems plausible, considering you two have spent the past three days together," said Chiasa jovially. She smirked at Sakura's flushed face and agape mouth. "Don't worry, I was just kidding. Shino is too much of a gentlemen to do such a thing to me." Chiasa ran her porcelain fingers up and down Shino's arm seductively, giving Sakura a passing, taunting glance. Sakura desired more than anything to guffaw at this, because she knew that Shino had _another_ girlfriend during their engagement. Of course, Sakura placed no blame on her unfortunate client.

"Darling, have you been feeling better?" asked Chiasa, turning her attention to her fiancé.

"I _was_," Shino said dryly. Catching his sarcasm, Sakura beamed at the Aburame.

"Well, you must tell me what's been going on with you lately," demanded Chiasa, "I do want to hear about your problems, Shino-kun. All of them."

"Hold it!" intervened Sakura. "He doesn't have to tell you anything."

"Well," countered Chiasa coyly, "he doesn't have to tell _you_ anything either."

"I'm his medic nin!"

"And I'm his future wife!"

All parties fell silent for a moment (with the exception of Shino, who was already silent). The atmosphere was so tense that Sakura found it almost difficult to breathe. Then, her eyes fell upon the hapless Shino. Although he masked his feelings well, Sakura could tell that he was currently wallowing in self-pity, begging for relief. She resolved to help him.

"Saseko-san-"

"Please," interrupted Chiasa, "drop the formalities. Even Shino-kun (ever the gentleman, as I said before) won't stop calling me 'Chiasa-san.' Chiasa is fine, Sakura."

"Okay, Chiasa," Sakura conceded. "I would like your help. You see, to better understand Shino's situation, I need to hear your side of the story."

"I'd love to help!" gushed the blond. "I want to help my Shino-kun as much as possible." She began running the back of her cold fingers up and down Shino's neck and cheek.

"However," Sakura continued, hoping to lure Chiasa away from her fiancé, "I need to speak to you in private."

"Oh no need. I have nothing to hide from Shino-kun."

"That may be true," Sakura mused, "but I would prefer if you would kindly join me in the hallway for a private conversation. I want your answers to be completely uninhibited. The more I understand, the sooner Shino can leave the hospital." Sakura decided not to inform Chiasa that this day was Shino's final day.

"But I'm really comfortable here!" whined Chiasa, wrapping her arms around Shino's neck. Shino's grimace, however, said otherwise.

"I insist," Sakura commanded through her gritted teeth, her patience running thin with the unbearable blond. Chiasa finally forfeited, but she didn't leave Shino's lap without placing a quick peck on Shino's lips. As the two women exited the room, Sakura took one last fleeting glance at Shino, and was pleased to see him rubbing his lips on the back of his hand in disdain.

"This won't take long, will it?" asked Chiasa impatiently. Sakura had led her to the end of the hallway.

"As long as you cooperate with me, it shouldn't," complied the pinkette as she rummaged through her notes. _Crap! What questions do I ask her?!_ cried Inner Sakura, _I didn't plan for this at all!_It was true that Sakura conspired to relieve Shino of the burden that Chiasa created, but she didn't think past leading her into the hall. She decided to begin small.

"So, how did you meet Shino?" Sakura jerked the cap off of her pen, and she poised her pen above her notes. Observing through narrowed eyes, Chiasa pursed her full lips.

"You plan to write notes?" inquired Chiasa, raising a perfectly-shaped eyebrow. "The lighting in this hall is too poor. Why, it was much brighter in the room we were in previously-"

"No need to fret; I can see fine," said Sakura, not even looking at the conniving blond.

"Are you sure?"

"Per-fect-ly," staccatoed Sakura icily, "now, answer the question, please."

"Well," sighed Chiasa childishly, "I met Shino because my father arranged for me to marry him. You see, my father is the daimyo of a small region near Konohagakure, but he is always looking for more wealth and prestige. So, he wanted me to become the wife of the future leader of the Aburame clan, a family with a decent amount of money, influence, and acclaim in Konoha and the Fire Country. Of course, my dad was disappointed that Hyuuga-sama had two daughters instead of sons, but I don't mind."

"You don't mind having an arranged marriage?"

"My dad told me that it was going to happen ever since I was seven, so I wasn't shocked or upset. It was inevitable, so I tried to make the best of it. Apparently, Shino didn't take it as well as me because he wasn't told about that tradition until his twentieth birthday last year, a week before we met."

"What do you think of Shino? Do you love him?"

"Well, not yet," Chiasa hastily replied, "but I think I will eventually. I mean, what's not to like about him? He's intelligent, wealthy, talented, handsome, well-mannered, sexy, and considerate. Also, ninja in general have hot bodies, I'm sure _you_ know, as a medic nin," Chiasa added, nudging a blushing Sakura.

Reentering the room, Sakura quietly closed the door behind her (luckily, Chiasa has to leave). Shino was looking almost haughtily bored, but he turned his attention to the kunoichi. The corners of his mouth subtly turned upward.

"So she's gone," stated Shino briefly, sighing from relief. Sakura eagerly nodded in response, but then she remembered what Chiasa said. For the first time, she saw that Shino was very attractive, especially without that huge collar obstructing a view of his face. He had a classically handsome face. His nose was straight and long. His high cheekbones were defined, and his mandible and lips were perfectly shaped. His countenance resembled that of a flawlessly chiseled Greek sculpture. The only two flaws she could find were his large forehead (which she now considers "noble" much like her own) and his wild hair (though she considers the messiness of it to be quite endearing).

"Sakura? Is something the matter?" asked Shino, a hint of concern in his deep voice. Returning to reality, Sakura realized that she had been staring at Shino in silence, her face flushed.

"I, uh, was sorting my thoughts," Sakura lamely stated. She cleared her throat. "Well, today is your last day here. No more mandatory sessions with me." Sakura paused, the tightness in her chest increasing. "However, if you truly feel that our sessions are helping you, we can continue at my apartment." She jotted down her address on the last sheet of her notes. In one swift movement, she tore it out of her notebook and handed it to Shino. "I can't make the decision for you, but I trust your judgement."


	6. Team 8

Chapter Six: Team Eight

"I know that I let him decide, but it's been three days. I'm starting to get worried about Shino," Sakura moaned into the phone receiver. Her best friend, Yamanaka Ino, was on the other line.

"So, you think that you are necessary for his mental health?" retorted Ino coyly.

"Well, maybe!"

"What I think," countered Ino, "is that you miss him. Better yet, you have a crush on Shino."

"What?" said Sakura, appalled. "I miss him as a friend, yes, and I do want to learn more about his past. But, I don't have a crush on him!"

"Oh, please Sakura," patronized Ino, "this is a classic case of denial. You can't stop talking about him. You always manage to change the subject to Shino. Besides, it's so obvious that you're jealous of that Saseko Chiasa chick. You keep trash-talking her and telling me about how she drove you nuts during your 'meeting.' Jeez, for the past week, your favorite topics have been Shino and Chiasa. Why, looking at it from that angle, I think you're in love with the silent and somewhat eccentric Aburame Shino!"

"Ino, _love_ is a little strong."

"Ah ha! You admit it!" proclaimed Ino loudly.

"I admitted to nothing, you deaf pig!"

"Save it, broad brow, I'm a Yamanaka, and we know how to manipulate the mind better than any other shinobi. My over exaggeration was a test, and your reaction was obviously a subconscious confession!"

"Yeah, well, I. . ." Sakura's doorbell rang loudly, thus giving Sakura an effective escape, "I need to answer the door. Bye Ino!"

"Wait, hold on a-" Sakura closed her cell phone quickly, cutting off any rebuttal by Ino. She skipped lively to the door, her pink frocks swaying to and fro. Opening the door, her jaw dropped. Shino was standing idly at her doorstep. However, the moment he saw Sakura, he turned to flee, as if he changed his mind. Sakura instantly snatched his arm, preventing him from evading her.

"Nuh uh! You rang my doorbell; you're not leaving. Come, sit down. Would you like some tea?"

"No thanks," Shino replied politely, as the pink-haired kunoichi pulled him into her apartment and sat him on the leather couch. As Sakura left to fetch her notepad, Shino began absorbing his surroundings. Sakura resided in a quaint, petite apartment. Of course, the size suited her busy schedule. With her duties as a medic nin and as a Konoha jounin, she likely spent little time in her abode. Despite her busy life, she apparently kept the place very tidy. Nothing seemed out-of-place or misplaced, and there wasn't a speck of dirt or dust in sight. Sakura's apartment wasn't lavish or gaudy on any standard, and it almost felt empty and lonely.

"Okay," say Sakura, returning to the common room, "why don't we talk about the Team Eight dynamic."

"We were close," Shino stated simply. "We worked well as a team."

"But did it start that way?" asked the kunoichi, and Shino scoffed in response.

"No, it certainly did not. Kurenai-sensei harbored a fear of my father, so she wasn't thrilled about teaching me. Hinata was too timid to speak or look at anyone. Kiba hated me because I nearly killed him."

"Wait, you almost _killed_ Kiba?!"

"Yes, in our first spar in training."

"Why? Was it because you found him annoying? Well, I don't blame you; sometimes 'dog brain' can get quite irritating," joked Sakura as she attempted to suppress a smile.

"No, the attacks were caused from habit," responded the nonchalant. "My father taught me to aim to kill in every battle, and I did so when sparing my father. Naturally, I did the same to Kiba, but I didn't expect Kiba not to properly defend himself."

"Kurenai stopped you from harming Kiba, right?" Sakura said, finishing the thought. The stoic bug nin nodded slowly. "Did you ever kill an enemy if front of your team early on?"

"Yes, in our first C rank mission. We were delivering an important parcel, and we were attacked by a group of thugs. One of them injured Hinata, and I killed him."

"I imagine that your teammates were stunned. Was that your first time?"

"No," Shino rejoined, "I did so in a mission with my father prior to that one."

"I remember this one assassination mission I was given when I was fourteen," reminisced the kunoichi. "I was quite nervous, because I hadn't killed anybody before that mission. Hokage-sama was shocked to learn that, because I was already a chuunin at that time, so she assumed. . ." Sakura paused for a moment. "Oh, right, back to you. Um, how long did it take for your teammates to warm up to you?"

"Not long," Shino answered. He suddenly had a strange expression on his face. Although the sunglasses made it more difficult to fathom, he appeared to be undergoing a combination of realization and anguish of sorts.

"The four of us became close following the Chuunin Exams. My father didn't want me to be close to _her_, though. He said it would ruin everything." Shino's odd remarks piqued Sakura's interest. Despite the incriminating content of his speech, he continued. "I defied my father. On purpose. He didn't tell the clan, but they surely would've frowned upon me," he muttered to himself. His voice was low, but Sakura could still hear everything. Shino's behavior was curious; he appeared to be voicing his stream of conscious out loud without being aware of it. At least, Sakura assumed he wasn't aware of it, but it was evident that Shino was mulling over a topic of suppressed frustration.

"Shino, are you okay?" the concerned Sakura inquired.

"Hm?" Shino was suddenly aware of his surroundings, and Sakura decided that it was best not to inform Shino of what he unwittingly revealed.

"So, your teammates began to trust you after the Chuunin Exam and vice-versa, correct?" repeated Sakura.

"Yes, my teammates are among the few people around whom I feel truly comfortable. You are now one as well." A blush spread across Sakura's cheeks like wildfire, and a vivacious grin ensued.

"That's really sweet, Shino, especially since you almost changed your mind at the door."

"Yesterday, I almost rang the door bell," confided Shino, a hint of amusement in his usually toneless voice. Sakura giggle lively at his subtle joke, and the corners of Shino's mouth turned upwards.

Sakura bid Shino farewell as he exited her home. As he closed the door behind him, Sakura's heart swelled with emotion, wishing that he could stay longer. Sighing, Sakura flipped her cell phone open once more, and she diligently dialed Ino's number.

"Hello Sakura," the blond cheerily greeted Sakura, "what's up?"

"Don't gloat, Ino, but you were right," Sakura began, "I think I do have feelings for Shino."

"Well, then you should ask him out for a date. I'm sure he would say yes," instructed Ino.

"I doubt it; he is bereaved over the death of a girlfriend," sighed Sakura.

"What?" gasped Ino in disbelief, "I don't recall him having a girlfriend! And believe me, _I_ would be the one to know." Sakura nodded in agreement; Ino was the Queen of Gossip without a doubt. "I know he's had dates, though. He dated Tenten a while back, along with one of my neighbors, but he's never had a _girlfriend_-"

"Ino!" interrupted Sakura, "You're rambling again. Besides, it was obviously a secret relationship, since Shino was arranged to be married to someone else."

"Who was his girlfriend?"

"I don't know," huffed Sakura, "but the two of them must have done an excellent job hiding their relationship if even you didn't know about it."

"I'll say!" agreed Ino. Then, a queer thought crossed her mind. "Well, then, the only solution to your problem is to speak to Shino's father." Sakura was about to scoff at such a remark, but then she remembered Shino's peculiar digression. She snapped her thin fingers in realization.

"That's right! I need to speak to Aburame-sama!"

"Whoa! I was kidding!" said a surprised Ino.

"Not about that," chided Sakura, "about something else."

"Suit yourself, but it won't be fun," warned Ino, "I hear he is not a very affable person."


	7. Interrogation

Chapter Seven: The Interrogation

The shrill alarm of the clock blared throughout the infinitesimal bedroom, vexing the groggy Sakura. She never enjoyed beginning her day so early, but she had to make an exception for today. Throughout their sessions, Shino has unintentionally revealed pieces of Aburame clan secrets, all of which appear to be related. Mentions of a "plan" and a "weapon" were connected somehow and yet confusing to the befuddled kunoichi. This mysterious plan also seemed to be a missing and vital part of Shino's past. In hope of finding the answers, Sakura resolved that it was necessary to confront the unapproachable Aburame Shibi.

Several times has Sakura passed the Aburame quarters, which were located in the suburban outskirts of Konoha. Never once, however, did the thought of entering that neighborhood cross her mind. As her petite hands gripped the cold, rusting bars of the iron gate, she knew this wasn't going to be an easy task. She tentatively pushed the gate open, the strident and unearthly shriek of the hinges effectively adding to the gothic tone of the neighborhood. Sakura expected to be bombarded by hordes of ravenous insects the moment she stepped into the Aburame territory, but she was pleasantly surprised by the lack of pests. Glancing from house to house, Sakura noticed that each one featured similar Victorian architecture and solemn dark shades. At the heart of the quarters stood the manor of Aburame Shibi.

Of course, the manor did not possess the same size and sense of grandeur as the Hyuuga mansion, but it still towered fiercely before the diminutive kunoichi. Anxiety coursed throughout her body as she slowly trudged onward, taking a deep breath with each sluggish stride. As intimidated as she was, Sakura knew that this prejudicial fear was quite irrational, considering that she had never met the man. As she reached the front doorstep, she calmed herself and vigorously knocked on the mahogany door, the thunderous sound echoing throughout the Aburame residence. The door slowly opened, revealing an insipid clansman.

"What is your business here?" he droned in a monotone. At first, Sakura was befuddled by the presence of the unfamiliar Aburame, but it dawned upon her that the manor also served as headquarters for the clan.

"I am here to speak to Aburame Shibi. I am his son's medic nin, Haruno Sakura," declared Sakura in a professional and urgent tone. Wordlessly, the shinobi beckoned her into the manor. Stepping inside, she was surprised to find the place busy with activity. Sakura felt as if she walked into a bee hive; everyone within the house was completing some sort of task with diligence.

"Aburame-sama is currently discussing important matters with another visitor. He will be done shortly," the Aburame from before informed her curtly. He directed her to wait in the foyer. As her eyes scanned the room, she noticed that not a single family portrait was hung on the walls. She expected this, of course; the Aburame family didn't appear to be a sentimental one.

Twenty minutes later, Sakura was summoned into the office. The uneasy Sakura silently followed another Aburame to said room. Opening the door carefully, her eyes instantly fell upon Shibi, who was comfortably seated behind a large cherry wood bureau. The Aburame leader exuded an encompassing aura of power and authority, and Sakura was once again enveloped in anxiety. Behind him, four portraits were suspended on the pale, bland walls, the one on the furthest right being a picture of Shibi as a young man. Sakura assessed that these were the portraits of the previous clan leaders.

"I assume you wish to ask me about my son," stated Shibi briskly. He gestured to the chair nearest to his desk. "Please, take a seat." Sakura bowed lowly to show her respect. Before seating herself in the chair, Sakura inspected it carefully for any. . . bugs.

"Haruno-san, there are no loose insects in my home, or in any of the other homes for that matter. We have set aside special habitats for our insects," Shibi explained sternly. Sakura winced at his abrupt words. She cleared her throat, readying herself for the "interview." This time, Sakura did not bring her trusty notepad, out of fear of insulting the prestigious Aburame. She also knew that she can't tell Shibi directly that she knew of the clan secrets; she promised Shino that she wouldn't.

"Aburame-sama, you trained your son quite vigorously when he was a small child. Why?"

"Is that a crime?" he responded dryly, coldly staring at the medic nin through his opaque lens, sending shivers down Sakura's frail spine. To calm her nerves, Sakura focused her gaze onto the charm dangling from his sunglass rims.

"Well," she continued, "it is quite peculiar, especially since Shino was the only one who received this special treatment."

"He had a lot of potential," replied Shibi bluntly.

"What did the clan think of this extra training?"

"They agreed."

"And your wife?"

"What does she have to do with it?" Shibi returned uneasily. Sakura leaned closer, shifting her analytical gaze back to the emotionless sunglasses. Her confidence was rising along with the building tension.

"Shino mentioned her a few times, but he was too young to remember much about her," explained Sakura, her innocent tone masking her true intentions.

"She didn't like it."

"Why?" Sakura asked rhetorically. "Did she not want Shino to get 'ahead of the game'? Did she not want him to become a ninja in the first place?"

"She agreed that he would become a ninja before he was born. It wasn't that."

"He was supposed to serve another purpose, then," concluded Sakura. Shibi's tense brows furrowed, intensifying his glare. Insecurity danced across his features, and Sakura could see all of it. After a week with Shino, she was able to read into Shino's subtle actions and emotions, and his father was no different.

"What do you know?" the Aburame asked in an accusatory manner, but Sakura didn't even blink.

"Not much, really," she said coyly, "but I was hoping that you would enlighten me." Out of frustration, Shibi suddenly rose from his chair, and he walked over to the map of Konohagakure hanging on his wall. Staring at it intensely, he no longer met Sakura's cocky gaze.

"She was the only one that didn't like it," he finally said."Wrong," retorted the kunoichi. Her volume increased and her passion fortified as she continued, "Shino didn't like it. Shino, your son, didn't like it. Shino, who almost _killed_ himself, didn't like it!" She paused, waiting for a reaction from the unflappable man. Dissatisfied, she added, "if the two of them hated it so much, then what was this 'second purpose'?"

"He was going to be our weapon. Our tool." Most of the strength in Shibi's voice had vanished. While Inner Sakura celebrated the small victory, Outer Sakura remained collected.

"A tool for what?" she questioned.

"You obviously don't know much about ninja clans, do you?" he snidely remarked, still facing the map.

"No, I don't belong to a clan."

"Then, I assume you know nothing of the Aburame history."

"What does that have to do with Shino being a 'weapon' or 'tool'?" inquired Sakura. She had no idea where the clan leader was directing the conversation. Shibi slowly turned his head towards Sakura, his gaze falling heavily upon her. He was taunting her, as she began to feel subordinated once more."Everything."


	8. Clan Rivalry

A/N: Hopefully, this chapter will explain a lot.

Chapter Eight: Clan Rivalry

"I assume that you are familiar with the war that created Konoha," stated Shibi, folding his arms confidently and turning to face the Konohagakure map. "The Aburame clan was born in the midst of that war. During an ambush mission, the first Aburame Shino, who was an ally of the Shodai, discovered a nest of rare kikaichu, or Destruction Beetles. He knew that the chakra-consuming insects would facilitate the ambush, so he made a pact with them. After the successful mission, he introduced his family members to the kikai, hoping that they would protect them during the war. Once the war concluded, Konohagakure was established and the Aburame became the village's first clan."

"Hm? The Aburame were the first?" the astounded kunoichi commented.

"You assumed that it was the Uchiha or the Hyuuga, then," chided the erudite Aburame, "Those clans weren't even present during Konoha's early years, but we were, and we were quite powerful and prestigious. That is, until forty-five years ago."

"What happened?" inquired Sakura, already enthralled by the "history lesson."

"Another war. I was three years old at the time, and I lost both of my parents, my older brother, and my grandmother. Our clan was greatly reduced of its size and rank. It's quite plausible, really, considering that the Aburame was the only major ninja clan in Konoha then, and the village was still small. However, the war saw the rise of two new clans: the Uchiha and the Hyuuga clans. The fall of our clan left an open path to the top for them. After the war, my traditionalist grandfather," he gestured to the photo of the second clan leader, "began training me very hard. He wanted me to be the one to bring the Aburame back into the highest rank. Unfortunately, I was not strong enough for such a task, but Shino is. He has already surpassed me, and his ability hasn't even peaked yet. Also, the circumstances were perfect in Shino's generation."

"You're referring to the demise of the Uchiha clan, right?" remarked Sakura, finishing the thought.

"Yes, the Uchiha were gone, and the Hyuuga happily took their place as the top clan. However, there was one other factor that was beneficial to our plan. The heiress to the Hyuuga clan, Hyuuga Hinata, was weak."

"What exactly was the plan?" asked Sakura, although she feared that she knew where this was going.

"I won't tell you what the plan is, but its goal is to overtake the Hyuuga clan. The setup is perfect, even with Hyuuga Hanabi being selected as the next leader of her clan over her older sister. We've been training Shino to be our weapon since he was little, and he has been suppressing his true abilities for years, so that the Hyuuga (and everyone else) are unaware of our plan."

"That's absurd!" shouted Sakura, standing up suddenly and forcefully slamming her hands on the desk. The impact rattled the desk, but Shibi remained unfazed by the violent outburst. "Are you planning on harming fellow Konoha shinobi?!" The kunoichi continued to glare at Shibi, seething with rage. Remaining calm, Shibi merely returned her gaze. In fact, he was almost. . . smiling."How frivolous of you, Haruno-san, to be so angry when you comprehend so little about ninja clans," he replied coolly, returning to his seat. Sakura did the same, without dropping her glare.

"Well, then help me 'comprehend' the situation," she said coldly.

"Haruno-san, did you find it odd that the Uchiha and the Hyuuga sprang up from our fall?" He waited for her to reply, but she remained silent. "During the second war of Konoha, a couple members of the two clans revealed secrets about the Aburame to the enemies of the village. Their plans were to lead the village to victory as we were dying, so that they would appear superior. Whether the two clans were working together or not, we do not know."

"Why didn't somebody tell the Hokage? Those were acts of treason!" declared the pink-haired medic nin passionately. The Aburame leader merely shook his head in response.

"How could we, with no concrete evidence? Treason is a very strong accusation to make."

"Then, how were you so sure that this treason occurred?" interrogated Sakura.

"A few of our clansmen spied on the transactions. They were eventually discovered and killed. My brother was one of them, but a few of his kikai survived, and they informed us. They could not give specific names, and their descriptions were, sadly, nondescript."

"It never occurred to me that ninja clans would do such things to each other," confessed Sakura sheepishly. Strangely, Shibi began chuckling lightly under his breath. _There must be more_, she thought.

"For a jounin of four years, you are quite naïve, Haruno-san. This happens in other villages as well. Ninja clans are in a constant, disgusting, bitter rivalry, each one wanting to be the most valuable one in the village. Naturally, the interests of the top clan, such as the Hyuuga, are taken into consideration by the Hokage, the village elders, or the feudal lords over the interests of the other clans in most aspects. So, each clan vies for the top spot, and the fortunate clan must work painstakingly to maintain its position. That was the Uchiha's plan for Uchiha Itachi. They wanted him to use his power as ANBU leader to keep checks on the statuses of the Hyuuga and the Aburame clans. He, like Shino, became frustrated with such a heavy burden."

"But instead of killing his whole clan, Shino decided to kill himself," retorted Sakura sardonically, earning a glare from Shibi.

"Shino was young, like Itachi, so they both were rebellious as most teenagers are. That was a mistake made by both clans; I shouldn't have told Shino of our plans until his sense of duty and allegiance to the clan was stronger. During his adolescent years, he was very rebellious and emotionally unstable (though he disguised it well), and he still is that way. I knew about his girlfriend, and he defied me several other times as well."

"Like when he befriended Hinata," realized Sakura, as everything was beginning to make more sense by the minute.

"Yes, that was one incidence. Still, there is little that he or you can do to stop our goal. Our plan _will_ be put into action."

"I think that the Hokage should know about this," commented Sakura in a threatening tone. The Aburame took no heed to her threat, as the corners of his mouth curled upwards.

"Once again, you are naïve. Not only is the Hokage already aware of the intense clan rivalry, but she condones it, just like all of her predecessors."

"What?" gasped an unsettled Sakura.

"It's true. Why wouldn't she support rivalry? Clan rivalry is a powerful motivator that pushes each clan to produce stronger ninja, better ideas, and higher success in missions. The village only benefits from the struggle of our clan, and from the others as well. And if you care about my son, as you obviously do, don't say anything to the Hyuuga, or anyone else, for that matter."

"Don't worry; everything you said will be kept in confidence," said Sakura, now weary from everything she had learned. She gingerly rose from her seat, ready to depart. "But I want you to think about your son, for once. Consider what you have done to him, what you have said to him, and everything that has happened to him. Just think about his side of the spectrum."

"Haruno-san, I realize that my parenting techniques were quite poor, and I am likely one of the reasons Shino wanted to end his life. Maybe you apologize to him for me the next time you see him."

"I'm afraid that I cannot, Aburame-sama," returned Sakura gravely, as she headed for the door. "Only you can."


	9. Love Lost

Chapter Nine: Love Lost

"Shino! I'm so glad that you came today!" exclaimed Sakura ecstatically

"Actually, I was here yesterday too," revealed the bug nin, as he entered the dainty apartment. "Where were you?"

"Well," said Sakura, her voice drenched in hesitation, "I spoke to your father yesterday." In that instant, Shino turned heel to flee, but Sakura swiftly seized his arm.

"Not so fast, young man! We have much to discuss," she ordered in a motherly tone.

"Young man?" questioned Shino, as the willful kunoichi dragged him to the couch. "Aren't I older than you?"

"Yeah, two months," she huffed dryly.

"So," Shino began, staring intently at his knees, "What did my father tell you?" Sakura could easily tell that Shino was unsettled, and she seated herself next to him, rather than across from him, for the first time in any of their sessions. Her heart ached for him, and she wanted to be closer to him, to support him.

"He told me about the history of the Aburame, and of the plan to return the clan to its original glory."

"I didn't want to do it," Shino said solemnly, shaking his head, "I still don't want to do it."

"I know," assured Sakura gently, "he didn't exactly tell me what the plan entailed, but I think I know why you hated the plan." He suddenly turned to stare into Sakura's emerald eyes with baited breath.

"You were in love with Hinata, weren't you?" she assessed, her voice soft.

Upon hearing her name, Shino instantly turned away, gazing up at the ceiling. Memories of her poured into his mind, along with the pain of his loss. Sakura's heart swelled with emotion as she felt his pain. She longed to touch him, to hold him, to remind him that she understood his pain, and she was there for him. She wanted him to know that he wasn't alone.

"How did you know?" Shino asked, his eyes still fixed on the ceiling.

"I finally figured it out. A couple days ago, you had mentioned defying your father by befriending someone, so the answer to that was obviously Hyuuga Hinata. However, I then remembered about Hinata's feelings for Naruto, and that they seemed to disappear about two years ago. I found it odd, because she was able to speak to Naruto without a single stutter or blush, and yet she was giddier than ever before. Now, I realize that it was because she was in love with someone else. With you." Sakura bit her lip; she now had developed feelings for the enigmatic shinobi as well.

"I see," he replied softly, returning his gaze back to Sakura.

"When did it begin?" asked Sakura, referring to his relationship with Hinata.

"As you mentioned before, it happened about two years ago. I had harbored feelings for Hinata since I was thirteen, and I decided that I couldn't keep those feelings to myself any longer. I confessed my feelings to her, expecting to be rejected. At that point, she had lost hope with Naruto, so she gave me a chance. Soon, we became madly in love with each other. Of course, we had to keep our relationship a secret from our parents, because our clans despised each other."

"And because you were engaged to Saseko Chiasa," Sakura reminded him.

"Well, I learned of that afterwards. My arranged engagement destroyed my dreams of marrying Hinata, and she was quite upset as well. However, I promised Hinata that I would find a way to marry her, even if we had to run away and get hitched."

"So, you were engaged to two different women at the same time, in a sense," joked Sakura, a bright smile on her face.

"I guess so," consented Shino with an air of amusement.

"What happened next?" Sakura asked. Shino's previous contentment dissipated, as he averted his eyes back to his knees once again.

"As you know, Hinata became sick. Very sick. Eventually, she was brought to the hospital, and the three days that I couldn't visit her were hell. Then, I received a call telling me that Hinata was dying, and that there was no hope. I rushed to the hospital; I needed to see her one last time, even if that meant I had to sneak in."

"You snuck in the hospital?" gasped an impressed Sakura. "The security is so strong; I can't imagine anybody accomplishing that!"

"I had to," he reiterated, "I wanted to tell Hinata one last time that I loved her." He swallowed hard, and Sakura's eyes followed the motion of his Adam's apple. "I had removed my sunglasses for her; I wanted her to see my eyes for the first time. Her last smile was so beautiful and warm, and my bare eyes witnessed my beloved Hinata closed her eyes for the final time."

Shino snatched his left thumb, and he began to twist it, just as Sakura had previously instructed him to do so. Her heart ached for him, and the tightness in her chest became unbearable. She couldn't breathe; it was as if her emotions were squeezing the life out of her. Her inhibitions faded as Sakura wrapped her slender arms around Shino, no longer able to suppress her continuously augmenting feelings for him. She held him tightly, refusing to let go. Shino, who was stunned by Sakura's unexpected and impulsive act, released his thumb. He made no motion to resist. He laid his hand on Sakura's back, and then he realized that Sakura was crying.

"Sakura," he whispered, "are you okay?" Sakura released Shino, but she refused to look at his face.

"I'm sorry," she apologized through sobs, "I always seem to cry. It's what I do best, I guess." She figured that Shino thought that she was pathetic and weak. Why would she cry, he probably thought, when nothing happened to her? Sakura continued to wallow in her self-pity and weakness, until she felt someone touch her face. Glancing up, she saw that Shino was tenderly wiping away her tears.

"No," he said kindly, "_healing_ is what you do best." He pulled the blotchy-eyed kunoichi into a hug, holding her close to his body to comfort her. With her ear pressed against his firm chest, Sakura closed her eyes, and she listened to the faint hum of the kikai within his body. It was a soothing noise, putting her fully at ease.

"You summoned for me?" Shino asked his father bluntly, as he entered Shibi's office. Shino was quite displeased about having to meet his father, especially since the phone call had interrupted his dinner. His eyes disdainfully scanned the room, scorning everything he saw just because it reminded him of his 'duty' to the clan. He assumed that his father wished to discuss the plan, and that his attempted suicide put no damper in it. Aburame Shibi was the last man Shino wanted to see.

"Shino, I want to apologize to you," Shibi told him, his features clearly spelling out his regret. Perplexed and astounded, Shino opened his mouth, wishing to question his father's motives, but he was unable to make a sound.

"I have been quite a poor father, haven't I?" Shibi continued, "I never thought of you as my son, only a weapon. I treated you as such, too. I could've handled this parenting job much better, but I placed my priorities with avenging the clan. I now truly understand what I have done to you, and my abysmal parenting caused you to want to kill yourself."

"It wasn't just you, father," Shino said, finally finding his voice.

"Shino, I wish to make amends to you," resumed Shibi. "And so, I have decided that you may choose your own wife. However, I can only afford to give you four years, because you have to be married or engaged by your twenty-fifth birthday. I already informed Saseko-dono about this arrangement. He isn't thrilled about it, but he doesn't have much of a choice. I hope that this is enough to help you forgive me."

"It is," said Shino, giving his father a genuine smile. "I forgive you." Aburame Shibi reciprocated the grin, and for the first time, Shino saw his father smile.

"By the way," Shibi added, "I do have one helpful hint. You might want to consider seeing Sakura. I have a feeling that she cares for you deeply."


	10. A Proper ThankYou

Chapter Ten: A Proper Thank-You

Sighing heavily, Sakura slumped into one of the hospital's swivel chairs. After mending two broken bones, healing multiple lacerations, and completing one major procedure, Sakura concluded her hectic morning. Chakra-depleted and exhausted, Sakura swallowed a soldier pill (the REAL lifesaver in the hospital) and finished off her bottle of water. She had hoped that her busy schedule would serve as an effective distraction.

Unfortunately, it wasn't enough of a diversion. Thoughts of Shino consumed her mind, and everything around Sakura reminded her of him somehow. Even has she looked at the dew droplets on the window, she remembered about how she cried for Shino. She shook her head vigorously, determined to erase that memory. She must've looked pitiful in his shaded eyes, and he must've realized that she had feelings for him. Who wouldn't come to that conclusion? Her tears were a silent confession, displaying her love for him.

. . . Love? No, she was being foolish. She had made this mistake before, with Sasuke. She had erred into thinking that her immature crush on the young Uchiha was love, and she was only hurt by it. Was she starting the same ordeal with Shino as well? Maybe she was just a hapless romantic. She wanted to be in love, but it never would work out in her favor, because she too readily gave her heart away.

Besides, she was being quite selfish and unprofessional. Here she was, falling head over heels for her _patient_. To add to the insult, he was still plagued by the death of Hinata, the woman he loved so dearly. Surely, the other medic nin, especially Tsunade-sama, would frown upon her.

Several brusque knocks instantly grabbed Sakura's attention. The weary kunoichi meandered to the door, assuming that it was Shizune. She opened the door, but she was stunned to see none other than Shino in the hall.

"Hello Sakura," he greeted, bowing his head, "I was hoping to find you here." Wordlessly, Sakura opened the door wider, to let him in the room. She glimpsed at her reflection in the window, and she suddenly became self-conscience. She was sweaty and fatigued, and her plain clothes were dingy. She didn't bother fixing her hair earlier that morning, and she had hastily pulled her pink hair into an untidy ponytail before work. Shino must've thought that she looked like a mess; no one would give _her_ a second glance.

"Is something wrong?" Sakura asked, as she tried to push her insecurities aside.

"Not at all," said Shino, "I wanted to thank you."

"To . . . thank me?" hesitated Sakura.

"Yes," began the stoic shinobi, "a while ago, I was frustrated, angry, and depressed. I wasn't able to (or allowed to) talk about my unhappiness. I think that by confiding in you, I relieved much of my stress. You didn't know me very well, and yet you cared about me, and you thought of me as a human being, not as a weapon or a disgusting bug. I wish I knew how to fully thank you."

There were so many things she wanted to tell him, but she couldn't utter a sound. She was transfixed by his words. Of course, Inner Sakura wasn't afraid to express her desires, as she swooned and begged for another hug or, better yet, a kiss. However, Sakura suppressed these desires, knowing that the Aburame heir was out of her reach.

"Shino," she said softly, a gentle smile on her face, "hearing you tell me that you are better is enough for me. I'm glad that I could help."

"Actually, there is something else I wish to tell you," continued Shino. "I was summoned to my father's office last night."

"Oh no," griped Sakura, "he didn't mention me, did he?"

"Yes, he did. But it's-"

"Ack!" yelped Sakura frantically, "Shino! I know that I was being a little nosy, but I wanted to get the truth out of him. And I swear that I didn't break my promise by telling him that it was you who tipped me off on the secrets! He must've learned from someone else, that's for-"

"Sakura," interrupted Shino, his voice remaining calm as he grabbed Sakura's lithe shoulders to pacify her, "relax. This is good news."

"Eh heh heh," she chuckled uncomfortably. A now collected Sakura cleared her throat. "Well, uh, what did he tell you?"

"I'm no longer engaged to Chiasa-san. As long as I find someone before I am twenty-five, I may choose my own wife," announced Shino, a rare smile on his face. Sakura reciprocated the grin.

"I'm so happy for you!" enthused Sakura, clapping her dainty hands together. "But you said that he mentioned me. What did he say about me?"

"Ah, well, he advised me to consider you."

"M-me?" stuttered the flustered medic nin, a blush creeping across her face. Numbness spread through her mind like poison, and she pinched herself to check if she was dreaming or not.

"He thinks that you are intelligent and determined for a naïve woman, and he apparently likes you. So do I." Sakura was astounded at his revelation. She pinched herself once again for good measure.

"It's alright if you're not interested," said Shino, dismayed at her silence, "you don't have to-"

"I would love to go out with you," replied Sakura finally, beaming at the relieved shinobi.

"So, um, movie?" he stammered.

"Sounds great," Sakura said, as she took his hand, ready for the next chapter in both of their lives to unfold.

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A/N: This is the final chapter of _Wear And Tear_. I hope everyone enjoyed it. Also, I won't be writing so much for the time being, because I am currently working on a doujinshi of Deidara's past, titled _Of Insanity and Inspiration_. This doujinshi will explain my take on how he came to be the way he is. It will explain why he left Iwa, how he can do his technique (and why he's the only one), how he developed his jutsu, why he says "un," why he is the youngest member of Akatsuki, what caused him to become near insane, and how he came to believe that "art is a bang." If you are interested, you can find the beginning of the doujinshi here: http:// kamden. deviantart. com / art / Of-Insanity-And-Inspiration - 72049973 (without the spaces).


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